The A Word

Image by Curated Lifestyle

That’s right, we’re going to talk about accountability.

Let’s be honest, it’s not exactly a word that sparks joy. More likely it conjures up visions of confrontation, difficult conversations, punishment, or that sinking feeling of being “in trouble.”

And yet, accountability is foundational to how we operate, be it in our communities, workplaces, or personal relationships. It’s the grease that keeps the machinery of our society moving. When each of us does our part, corrects our mistakes, and improves our efforts the machine hums along beautifully. 

But if one part slips, rusts, or malfunctions and no one takes responsibility to fix it, the entire engine slows down and eventually grinds to a halt.

Since accountability is what keeps things going well, we don’t usually give it much thought until something goes wrong. And then we are starved for it. When things fall apart, it’s human nature to want to find the cause. We want answers to what happened, why, and who was involved. This helps us feel more in control and less a victim to random circumstance. Once blame has been assigned, requiring people to take responsibility for their errors satisfies our need for justice. 

All of this helps us feel safe, confident that the person at fault has been reprimanded and that precautions are put in place to prevent it from happening again.  

This foundation of safety and prevention provided by accountability relies on a simple but powerful principle: honesty.

To be accountable is to tell the truth. It means you are forthcoming about what you did or failed to do. You are transparent and open. You don’t shirk your responsibilities or try to dodge the consequences of your behavior.

Sounds easy enough on paper but in reality telling the truth can be uncomfortable, especially when we have to tell on ourselves. In these moments it’s easy to overlook the benefits of accountability and the long-term gains it produces: stronger and healthier relationships and organizations.

In addition to supporting smooth operations, higher productivity, and better decision making, there are numerous benefits to regularly practicing accountability:

Trust increases. By following through on your commitments and admitting when you fail to do so, you remove uncertainty and guesswork. People come to trust that you aren’t hiding anything.

Problems and solutions are discovered. Accountability allows for problems to be exposed. By forthrightly acknowledging what went wrong, rather than denying or sugar coating an error, problems can become visible and remedies can be pursued.

Learning happens. When mistakes happen it gets our attention. This gives us the opportunity to learn what to do differently and reflect on how to be better. It might help us refine a practical skill or help us learn more about ourselves. 

Integrity is strengthened: Following through on our responsibilities and owning our mistakes strengthens our sense of personal integrity and self-respect. This promotes greater confidence, healthier relationships, and inner peace.

So accountability isn’t a dirty word after all. By ensuring that challenges are addressed, it lives in the same family as “empowerment”, “security”, “pride in accomplishment”, and “growth”.

Hopefully, you are now convinced that accountability is worth your attention. Next week we’ll talk about the first step to improving accountability in your organization.